Tuesday, 16 August 2016

I stumbled upon these pictures in my 'To Post' folder from around a year ago and I can't believe the length of time I have been using the Sleek Face Form Palette without writing a rave review about it. I had read lots of great things about Sleek palettes before taking the plunge and buying one of my own. Coming in at £9.99, its more than I would usually spend on 1 highstreet makeup item so I had to do that thing where I go into Boots, look, swatch, and leave at least 3 times before I actually bought it. I am so glad I did though because I haven't stopped using it since.

The packaging is really simple - a wipe clean black- and the palette contains a large mirror which is ideal for when you are applying on the go. I realised my initial hesitation at the cost was unnecessary as you're getting 3 full sized products: a blush, a highlight and bronzer/ contour for £10. Each shade is great quality and applies easily. The swatches actually don't do their pigmentation justice.

The blush is a lovely rose pink and its gold shimmer acts as a highlighter in itself. The highlight is a very pale pink/ white but not chalky in the slightest. The highlight is actually my least used of the three as I prefer a more gold based highlighter and my favourite is the MAC MSF in Soft & Gentle. However, the absolute stand out of the palette, and probably worth the £9.99 itself is the contour shade. I went through many drugstore bronzers trying to find one that would work as a contour but they were all too orange, shimmery or difficult to blend. This matte brown works excellently with my skin tone as a contour shade and I apply it with the Real Techniques Contour Brush (reviewed here).

This is definitely the best cheek & contour palette I have found so far. I am still quite far from hitting pan on the blush and highlight so I might see if I can purchase the contour shade individually as I just couldn't go without it.

Friday, 12 August 2016

I can't quite believe that I'm typing this but I think my MUA eyeshadow palettes have finally been knocked off their podium of my most unbeatable and most used eyeshadows. Elf couldn't do it, Accessorize couldn't do it, even the Naked Palette couldn't. Who is the new kid on the block you might ask? Well, it probably won't be new to many of you because I was very behind when it came to jumping on the Makeup Revolution bandwagon.

For £4 in the Makeup Revolution Iconic 2 palette you get 12 gorgeous neutral colours: a mix of matte and shimmer. It ranges from pearly nudes to classic shimmery browns to golds to muted grey. This palette is my only go to at the moment where previously I would use 2/3 at once. The colours are so pigmented but there is very little fall down during application. They blend out really well and harmonize with each other really nicely. You can achieve so many different looks with this from simple daytime to dramatic smoky for night. I find this palette to work best over the top of Maybelline's Color Tattoo in On and On Bronze to lock the shades in place.

I can't believe how long it took me to buy one of these palettes considering the storm they've caused in the blogging world. The amount of comments on blogs I've written saying 'I've still to try this' or 'I must give this a go'! For £4 it is definitely worth it- even if like me you already have eyeshadow palettes coming out of your ears. My MUA palettes aren't completely forgotten about and will no doubt make a return when the initial infatuation with MakeupRev dulls, but even then, this palette is a strong contender for HG and will definitely be a repurchase.

Wednesday, 10 August 2016

I've noticed that for many in this community, the love of makeup is rivaled only by the love of stationary. Wilkinson's has been one of my favourite places to feed my stationary addiction for a long time (as I mentioned here) but I feel compelled to stress again the amazing value for money they offer. Each time they release a new collection they manage to compete with places like Paperchase and TKMaxx but at a fraction of the price. My most recent purchases, a diary-style notebook and an organiser, came in at only £1.75 and £2.50- and look how cute they are! Each collection has matching notebooks, folders, pens and more. At any one time they have a few different collections out too so there's something to suit everyone's style. Wilko stationary is perfect for back to school/ university but also just life in general if, like me, you love getting organised and writing everything down. I would definitely recommend you have a look at the stationary section next time you pass a store. I can hardly go in now without picking something up!

Thursday, 4 August 2016

Back when I stumbled across the beauty blogging community, applying false eyelashes was something that completely eluded me. After years of reviews, tutorials and general chit chat, I'm a lot more skilled and thought I'd share what I've learned in the hope that someone similar to my 2012-self can be aided. Of course I'm not a makeup artist, or any kind of expert, these are just the things that make my life a bit easier.

The first thing I'd say is get a set of lashes that work for you. I've heard great things about the Ardell lashes but I personally found them really footery to apply. Some people will also opt for the cheaper end of the lash selection such as those available in Bodycare for around £2. I wouldn't say that more expensive lashes necessarily look much better when applied as I've used and got along well with cheaper ones. Eylure is definitely my favourite brand though. They're about midway along the price scale and are often on special offer. I'd consider them value-for-money simply because you can reuse them a good few times unlike, in my experience, the cheaper ones. I have repurchased the Eylure 101 lashes countless times as I really like their volume and length and they're idea for a night out. However, I've recently also tried the Eylure Cheryl 114s and these are perfect for a more subtle yet lengthening look.

There is definitely a knack to applying false eyelashes that comes with practice. Almost every pair I buy need to be trimmed to properly fit. Before applying the glue, measure the lash against your own lashes and cut to size. This prevents them springing up in your inner corner. Also, it might seem obvious but don't cut them next to your own lashes or you'll end up cutting them too. I think lashes look much better and are easier to apply when they start about a quarter of your eyelid away from the inner corner. Sometimes I like to apply a single coat of mascara to my own lashes before applying the false ones to give them something to cling onto. Apply the glue in a thin strip across the top of the lashes and what is absolutely key is that you wait about 30 seconds for the glue to become tacky and sticky before attaching them to your eyelid. If you don't wait, they'll slide about and won't attach. You want to get the strip of lashes as close to your own lash line as possible. I use tweasers to put them in position and then my fingers or the flat side of the tweasers to pat and secure them into place. If the false lash strip is quite obvious against your own eyelid, applying eyeliner will conceal it. Do a final check that the full strip is glued in place with no edges springing up and you're good to go. To be able to reuse them, make sure you place them back in their packaging when you're finished so they keep their shape. If they have makeup on them, you can give them a clean with makeup remover but I only have to do this very occasionally.

I think everyone finds applying eyelashes a little difficult but it definitely gets easier with practice. Do you have any top tips for applying false eyelashes?

Tuesday, 2 August 2016

Everyone wants to get the best deal they can get when they buy something. I don't know about you but when I have my eye on something, I um and ah over it for ages. I see it in the shop, wonder if its worth that amount, if I can get it for a better price elsewhere and make a mental note to look up blogger reviews online. I often think that instead of spending my time trawling through ebay, amazon and other sites, surely someone could collate them and just say 'here is what your looking for'. Well, I'm here to tell you that I have found such a website and I just had to share it with you. SecondWow.co.uk offers price comparisons of items on sale across eBay, Gumtree, Amazon and Preloved. They cover categories from fashion to vehicles and pretty much everything in between. And the best thing? They're all in one place!

I think the quality and value for money of second hand goods would surprise a lot of people. I'm always doing wardrobe clearouts and most of the stuff I sell on eBay or give to charity has hardly been worn. When I volunteered in a children's charity shop, most of the clothes were brand new but sold for a fraction on the price. You can get such good bargains. I think especially with electronics people have a tendency to move on the the latest thing when their current model still has plenty of life left in it (ahem, Apple products). My last two iPhones have been second-hand and lasted years. Buying preloved goods not only saves you money but provides the (often independent) seller with a small return on the stuff they no longer need.

With buying second hand becoming easier and easier, there's nothing to stop you finding a treasure in someone else's trash.

When I finished my second year of university in May I had the very grand yet vague idea of 'actually doing stuff' with my summer instead of lapsing into the all-too-familiar couch potato life. Although I have indulged in a fair amount of my favourite hobby (lying down and watching TV) I have realised that making the most of summer is most easily done by doing all the little things that you always mean to do but never have the time. Things that are both realistic and fulfilling. I find that if you record each little thing you do, you can look back and see that it adds up to one successful, productive summer. Things on my list this year included getting back into blogging, decluttering my bedroom, getting a new job and making time for fun days out with friends and family.

While some may consider a day of sunbathing or visiting a theme park the ultimate summer day out, I'm not a fan of sizzling my skin in the sun (not that we get a great deal in Glasgow) or scary rollercoasters (I threw up the last time I went on one). Instead, sometimes the most simple kind of day out can be the most enjoyable. I think one of the most classic and fun summer days out is going for a picnic. You can adapt it to your budget, your location and the time you have available. If you are lucky enough to live in the country or by the sea, I imagine you have an endless selection of scenic picnic locations to choose from. But even if you live in the city like me, you can take a picnic basket filled with goodies to a park, on a train journey, or even to your back garden. Its a day out that everyone can enjoy- from little kids to grannies and grandpas. The most important thing about it is taking time out from your day to day routine to appreciate tasty food and good company. A picnic is also, lets face it, pretty instagram/ Pinterest worthy. Think gorgeous picnic baskets and triangular-cut sandwiches. And for those worrying about the cost of getting your hands on picnic essentials, lovepicnics.co.uk review and compare the best picnic baskets and accessories available online to save you doing it yourself. There are websites for everything these days!

I hope this has inspired you to get out there and enjoy the great outdoors this summer. Now that my hayfever is settling down, I certainly will be!

Have you had a picnic lately? What are your favourite summer days out?Sponsored Post